Page 24 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

“Speaking without thought,” Esme remarked icily.

“Not everyone is as perceptive as you, Esme.So perceptive that you did not know that you had one of the traitors underneath your own roof.”Mei smiled sweetly.

Esme did not wince, even if Valerius was certain there was no one in the world who felt worse than she did about missing Serai’s other allegiances. And though he wanted to point that out to Mei, he knew that the Blue Dragon would not appreciate him “protecting” her.It would look like weakness.Where he could speak out for his own people, Esme was a Dragon, equal to Mei.She had to stand on her own in this.

“You’re quite right, Mei.You would, of course, never have that problem,” Esme replied in a voice just as sweetly poisonous, “because you no longer actually have anyrealpeople around you any longer.”

“Machines are much more reliable,” Mei answered.

“Like today? When they filled Valerius’ dungeon with inches of slag?Very reliable indeed!”Esme let out a trill of laughter.

“I will find out who did that!”Mei hissed.

“No doubt, but even if you do, there will be another attack and another and another.Machines are dumb things, Mei.They do not love you.They can be reprogrammed,” Esme said.“What happened that made you withdraw from everyone and everything? Did you find a snake in your home?”

Mei pressed her lips together.

Illarion let out a bark of laughter.“She’s right! Someone betrayed you!Was it a lover?One of these Faithful freaks? Maybe both!You came down on Esme without mercy for her failure with Serai, so I am betting it was exactly like that with you!”

Mei flushed and went back to angrily drinking her wine, ignoring everyone.

“Marban, do you have people you would suggest for such an operation to infiltrate the Faith?”Esme asked.

“Of course.”Marban smiled avuncularly. “They would not be associated with the Claw or any of you.They would not even be associated withme.”

“Marban has someone for every situation,” Chione said with a faint smile.

Marban bowed.“I am happy to be of service. These members of the Faith threaten the very stability of the world.They are worse than Humans First.”

“Why any of you allow this religion to exist at all is insane! There is no Faith in my territory!”Illarion’s right hand flew into the air and he nearly sent his vodka with it.

“Youthinkthere is none in your territory!”Mei scoffed.“You would have no idea.You imprison everyone.”

“Better that than having them run in the streets blowing up innocents!”Illarion retorted and grabbed the bottle of vodka and refilled his glass.

“You do not consider anyone innocent, Illarion,” Esme stated. Her eyes narrowed.“But if you were to have bombs going off in your territory that would showweakness.It would give succor to those who loathe you. And that accounts for almost everyone.”

Illarion’s lizard green eyes narrowed.“But I donothave bombs–”

“Yes, you do,” Mei interrupted.“Why are you lying?You’ve had more unrest in your territory than in any other.That is why you are locking everyone up, because you don’t know who the enemy is.”

“Is that true, Illarion?”Valerius’ voice was soft. He had thought the bombings in his territory the first, but they clearly had not been.

If I had known earlier maybe I could have put a stop to this sooner.

Except that would have meant he wouldn’t have met Caden now.And he would not change that for the world.But Illarion should have come to him.The Green Dragon King’s silence had allowed this cancer to spread.

“What concern is it of yours what happens in my territory, Valerius?”Illarion spat. “You are not the boss of me!”

Illarion’s face purpled with suppressed rage.His head jerked towards Valerius and he let out a low hiss.

I can almost see his poison breath, Raziel muttered.

Oh, yes, he would love to gas us,Valerius agreed.But we need to deal with them.All of them.

You wish to rule them?Raziel’s red eyes widened a fraction.

We cannot do this on our own,Valerius finally admitted.This threat is not contained in one territory.It cannot be addressed by one Dragon.Not even one as mighty as you, Raziel.We will need to use that might in a different way.

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